This invention relates to a structure which is adapted to support a plurality of individual panel members. More specifically, the present invention relates to a suspended ceiling grid structure which is adapted to receivably mount air handling conduits between the supported marginal edge portions of the individual ceiling panel members supported by the presently disclosed grid system.
Recent years have seen changes in the manner of internal room decoration and furnishing in which emphasis has been laid upon suspended ceilings or ceiling sections. Most usually, such structures are composed of a metallic grid of beam or grid members and panel members supported thereby such as acoustic tile members, which may or may not include flush lighting fixtures. The improvement of the present invention has particular utility in connection with suspended ceiling grid structures and, therefore will be discussed with particular reference thereto.
Concurrently with the development mentioned above, changes have been made in the manner in which conditioned air has been introduced to a room. Recently, use has been made of the space or plenum area formed between a suspended ceiling and the original room ceiling or building superstructure as a passage for conditioned air, and as regions from which such air can be introduced into the room therebelow.
One such method included in the prior art is to utilize a plurality of ventilated tiles in which holes have been drilled completely through such tiles to provide channels for the escape of conditioned air from a plenum chamber into the room below. However, such structures necessitate the use of modified ceiling tiles and involve the problem of uniformly directing conditioned air over the relatively large area of such perforated ceiling tiles.
Other structures for providing an air handling passageway from the open area above a suspended ceiling to the room below have involved extensive modification of the supporting grid beams or modification of the tile or panel members themselves along the marginal edges.